---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.04

     Title: Winter Vegetable Stew/Pie
Categories: Stews
     Yield: 1 servings


 :          Stock-----
     1/2 c  dried vegetable soup mix
       3 c  slightly aged chopped white
 :          mushrooms
       3 c  water
 :          Stew-----
     1/2    rutabaga  -- halved then
 :          thinly s
       1 c  white mushrooms  -- slightly
 :          aged, halve
       6 sm shitake  -- coarsely
 :          chopped
       1 TB olive oil
 :          salt and pepper to taste
       5    garlic cloves  -- finely
 :          chopped
     1/2 c  dry sherry
       1 md yellow onion  -- cut into
 :       lg piece
       1 md carrot  -- peeled, 1/2"
 :          slices
       2 md russet potatos  -- in 1/2 of
     1/2    " slice
       1 md fennel bulb  -- quartered,
 :          in 1/2" s
       2 TB fresh thyme  -- chopped or 2
 :       ts dri
       2 TB fresh marjoram  -- chopped
 :          or 2 tsp dri
       2 TB fresh parsley  -- chopped or
       2 ts dri

 This began last night as an effort to make the Winter
 Vegetable Pie recipe in the _Fields of Greens_
 cookbook just acquired (and thanks to those who sent
 advice on the book last month).  As usual, however, we
 varied a great deal, so the result is greatly
 different from the book's--but was wonderful. We
 realized that the recipe started with "Mushroom
 stock," which would take 3 hours to make.  Since it
 was already 7 in the evening, that was out.  The
 celery root we thought was in the vegetable bin was a
 rutabaga; we had six shitake to use up.  So we
 improvised: Stock:  Gently simmer, until reduced to
 about 2 cups liquid.

 Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet;
 add the mushrooms, pinch of salt, 2 or 3 grinds of
 pepper.  Sear the mushrooms over high heat until
 golden.  Add half the garlic and deglaze the pan with
 half the sherry.  When the pan is almost dry, transfer
 the mushrooms to a bowl. Heat the remaining tablespoon
 of olive oil in stew pot and add the onion, pinch of
 salt, 2 grinds of pepper; saute until onion is
 transparent.  Add the remaining garlic, rutabaga,
 carrot, potatos, and fennel, saute for 5 minutes.  Add
 the mushrooms, herbs, and the reduced stock.  Cover
 and simmer until vegetables are soft and flavors
 melded, about 30 minutes over medium/medium low heat.
 Serve over grain, pasta, or polenta (we used a mixed
 spiral spinach pasta and basmati rice left over from
 previous meals), with crusty bread, bread sticks, or
 pretzels. The _Fields of Greens_ book takes its
 mixture, pours it into a 9 inch round baking dish,
 then covers it with a white pastry cover, with an egg
 wash on it (there goes the vegan listing!), then bakes
 in 375 degree oven for 40 minutes. Our variation
 worked well; we ate at about 8:45 (which is fairly
 normal for us), a rich and warming stew with the
 temperature outside at -5, wind chill -37. We'll try
 some different root vegetables next time, and perhaps
 add tofu slices as well.

 Recipe By     : Fields of Greens

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